HB 1091 - AS INTRODUCED
2026 SESSION
26-2510
09/08
HOUSE BILL 1091
SPONSORS: Rep. Newell, Ches. 4; Rep. A. Murray, Hills. 20; Rep. O'Rorke, Ches. 7; Rep. Scherr, Rock. 26; Rep. Wheeler, Hills. 33; Rep. D. Paige, Carr. 1; Rep. Beauchemin, Hills. 3; Sen. Fenton, Dist 10; Sen. Watters, Dist 4
COMMITTEE: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
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ANALYSIS
This bill requires municipalities to provide for a nonmonetary penalty that may be elected in lieu of a financial penalty for any ordinance or bylaw prohibiting sleeping or camping outdoors.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
26-2510
09/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Powers and Duties of Towns; Power to Make Bylaws. Amend RSA 31:39, III to read as follows:
III. Towns may enforce the observance of the bylaws by suitable penalties not exceeding $1,000 for each offense to enure to such uses as the town may direct, except that for any ordinance or bylaw prohibiting sleeping or camping outdoors, the town shall provide for a nonmonetary penalty that may be elected in lieu of a financial penalty.
2 New Paragraph; Power of City Councils; Bylaws and Ordinances. Amend RSA 47:17 by inserting after paragraph XX the following new paragraph:
XXI. For any ordinance or bylaw prohibiting sleeping or camping outdoors, the city council shall provide for a nonmonetary penalty that may be elected in lieu of a financial penalty.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 21, 2026 | House | Hearing |
Jan. 15, 2026: Public Hearing: 01/21/2026 03:30 pm GP 159
Dec. 1, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Criminal Justice and Public Safety